Saudi Air Defences Intercept Houthi Barrage Over Several Cities, Including Mecca Province

The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a wave of projectiles fired from Yemen at cities across the kingdom. The barrage began on Saturday evening and continued into Sunday, according to the reports on the attacks.

Saudi Civil Defence reported that shrapnel from two intercepted ballistic missiles, believed to have been launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels, landed in Jeddah, Taif, Rabigh and Wadi Al-Mughammas in Mecca province. A drone and a ballistic missile were also shot down over the capital, Riyadh.

By midday Sunday, coalition forces had intercepted a cruise missile aimed at Khamis Mushait, while warning sirens sounded in Taif and Jazan. In all, 10 ballistic missiles directed at the southern region were intercepted.

Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, condemned the interceptions over Mecca, which is home to the Kaaba and Masjid al-Haram. He called the strikes "a grave violation of the sanctity of the Holy Sites and a provocation to the sentiments of Muslims worldwide". The Houthis, a Zaydi Shia group, have denied targeting Muslim holy sites in Saudi Arabia.

The kingdom has faced repeated Houthi missile and drone attacks in recent weeks, aimed at both civilian and military infrastructure. Riyadh announced late Saturday that international flights from King Khalid International Airport would resume on Sunday from Terminal 2, with Terminal 1 reserved for domestic services. Flights had been suspended after waves of Houthi strikes, including one on October 10 that killed 13 people and wounded hundreds.

Early Sunday, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree warned civilians to stay away from the airport. "King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh is not safe because it is a military target, and we renew our warning to airlines, employees, and travelers," he said. He also announced seven operations against Saudi oil facilities and military bases.

Yemen has been at war since the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, in September 2014 and forced the government to flee south. After a brief ceasefire, fighting intensified when government forces attacked Sanaa International Airport to block a Houthi delegation arriving from Tehran. The Houthis then launched a surprise offensive in September and took Yemen's western coast, including the city of Mocha.

Forces aligned with the internationally recognised government began "Operation Dawn of Yemen" on October 5, aiming to retake lost territory. On Sunday, Yemen's armed forces said they had carried out 736 strikes on Houthi positions over the previous 24 hours, leaving 307 people "neutralised" and 68 military vehicles destroyed.

Amid the escalation, the Rasd Organization for Rights and Freedoms warned of a dire humanitarian situation in Taiz, which has been under a Houthi siege since October 4. The group said about 1,110 kidney failure patients risk running short of dialysis supplies, with roughly 120 sessions needed daily. It added that 192 patients in intensive care and 154 children in incubators are also affected.